By Jessica Corbett, Executive Editor
Senior Keith Runde said his family has been impacted by the recession. “My dad lost his job because he got laid off after working in his field for over 30 years,” Runde said. “He now is his own boss, at a new job he found online.”
Jobs, schools, marriages, taxes, homes, and families–the list goes on and on. It seems every aspect of our lives have been impacted by the recession. Every family situation is different, and because of this, the recession affects every student differently.
“Many of the things my family used to do, like go out to eat and go on vacations, have decreased dramatically,” senior Michael Caballero said.
“Sometimes, depending on the parents, the kids may not even know about [financial hardships],” school psychologist John Markovich said. “I truly think there are a lot of parents that don’t really talk about it. If they’re not talking about it, it’s not going to be a stressor for the kids.”
Even those students who are unaware of their families’ financial struggles can be emotionally affected, because of their parents’ increased stress levels.
“The constant stress of bill collectors or creditors possibly calling strains all relationships, especially with significant others, which could lead to misplaced anger towards others–your friends, your kids–it’s just an endless cycle. It bleeds down to the kids, and minor issues become big issues,” Markovich said.
“The anxiety could lead to lower grades or school difficulty, because the focus isn’t on school work, it’s about making ends meet,” he added. “It goes back to misplaced anger. I think sometimes parents are taking out anger on the students. The students may come to school and overreact to smaller things that may not usually affect them.”
Though when it comes to increased stress and overreactions, Markovich said, adults are no different.
“Money is a big stressor. Increased stress is automatically going to lead to decreased decision-making skills. If you don’t have money, it tends to overwhelm you,” he said.
Lack of money isn’t just stressful for adults with families; it’s also worrisome for many school districts.The financial crisis’ impact on public schools–specifically Kaneland–has weighed heavily on the minds of teachers, administrators, parents and students.
“Difficult budget times can make it challenging to keep the morale and or spirits positive in people, but Kaneland is really fortunate because the staff and administration are working hard together to address the budget challenges,” Fuchs said.
Although students were able to keep their clubs and sports after the original plan to cut them, families are still being affected by the pay freeze–the teachers’ families.
Family Consumer Science teacher and Kaneland parent, Judy Fabrizius hasn’t lost her job, but the impact of the budget cuts and employee pay freeze is still evident in her classroom and life at home. As both a teacher and a parent in the Kaneland district, Fabrizius has a unique perspective on the budget issues.
“I understand that the budget cuts have to go on. It’s a two-way street, we have to work together for a positive result,” she said. “But the cuts make it harder to do what I want with my students. As a teacher, I beg, borrow and plead for free food for my FCS classes.”
For schools and families, the times are difficult and the money is tight. To better handle these stressful periods, Markovich had a couple suggestions.For those students who are feeling the pressure from parents, and for those parents who are struggling with finances, Markovich said, “I would say try to be understanding– every situation is different.”
He said that students cannot truly understand the stress of bills, mortgages and taxes until they are in that stage of life.
“It’s not a matter of being immature, it’s about not having those life experiences yet,” Markovich said.
However, being understanding of circumstances isn’t always enough. He suggested the book Total Money Makeover, by Dave Ramsey, for all ages, but especially for young people.
“I think it could really change your life if you were to live by some of its principles,” he said.”I would say focus on the ‘haves,’ not the ‘have nots.’ It’s so easy to get caught up in what you don’t have, but it can be so destructive. If you focus on what you do have and what you can control, you’re going to be much happier,” Markovich said. “Don’t let your situation define you.”